From paralysis to purpose

Polio survivor leads campaign to protect children from same fate

LAHORE:

When Altaf Khan walks into a village, children often gather around him with curious eyes. His leg, supported by a heavy brace, tells a story before he even speaks.

For many, he is more than a member of Pakistan's polio eradication team — he is a living reminder of what happens when a child is denied vaccination.

Now in his 30s, Altaf serves as a community officer in the national polio programme. His mission is deeply personal.

At just 18 months old, he was struck by the virus that would shape the rest of his life.

"I wish I could run, play, and travel like everyone else," he says, his voice carrying both longing and strength.

"But if my disability convinces even one parent to vaccinate their child, then my struggle has meaning."

Growing up in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Altaf's childhood was marked by exclusion. At school, he was often sidelined, particularly during sports.

"People saw my disability before they saw me," he recalls. Instead of giving in to bitterness, he chose resilience. He turned his pain into purpose, joining the very campaign that could have protected him. His goal: to ensure no other child suffers as he did.

Altaf's story began in the late 1980s, before Pakistan had fully rolled out nationwide immunisation. His elder sister had already been crippled by polio in 1987, but their father, sceptical of vaccines, refused to immunise him.

"One relative urged him to vaccinate me," Altaf remembers. "But he replied that he would only do it if I became paralysed." Soon after, a sudden fever and weakness in Altaf's leg confirmed his father's worst fears.

Over the years, challenges mounted. When his father lost his job, Altaf was asked to leave school. Refusing to abandon his education, he worked part-time jobs to fund his studies.

Later, severe pain in his leg led doctors to recommend a risky surgery with only a 10% chance of survival. Altaf signed the consent papers himself. "The operation was successful," he says with a smile. "Now I walk with a protective cover on my leg."

Every step Altaf takes is a message. Every village visit is a reminder to parents that vaccination is not a risk, but a safeguard. "Do not let misinformation decide your child's fate," he pleads.

"The polio vaccine is one of the safest ever developed. Don't wait until it's too late, like my father did."

His appeal is echoed by Adeel Tassawar, EOC Coordinator and head of the Punjab polio programme: "Stories like Altaf's remind us that polio is not just a statistic — it is a lifelong struggle. Parents hold the power to end it once and for all."